Dilemma of a Ghost - quotations
'This woman uses machines for doing everything' 2nd Woman, Act Four
About Eulalie and how they believe she is dependent on machines for everything. Modern Vs. Traditional view.
'Come, my child' Esi, Act Five
Accepts Eulalie into the family, leaving Ato as the outcast.
'I only hope it's O.K.' Eulalie, Prelude
Ambiguous. Never specifically stated what it is that Eulalie is talking about. Could be about: Decision not to have children, her ancestry, Ato's sudden marriage.
'These days, the rains are scarce and so are snails. But the one or two I get for you, you throw away' Esi, Act Three
Angry and confrontational.
'But I am already married, Maami' Ato, Act One.
Ato breaks the news to his entire family that he has married in America.
'Ato, isn't it time we started a family?' Eulalie, Act Two.
Ato immediately retaliates to this, and suggests they stick to their old plan. He fails to mention this to anyone in their family causing a massive misunderstanding.
'Why should my own go and marry a white woman?' Esi, Act One
Automatically assume that Eulalie is white as she is from America. Showcases stereotypes and expectations. Also, demonstrates that Ato's family doesn't even consider that Ato would have the audacity to wed himself to a black woman.
'Shall I go//To Cape Coast//Or to Elmina//I don't know//I can't tell' Boy, Act Three
Cape Coast and Elmina were both slave castles where slaves would be kept in the Gold Coast before being shipped off. Link to Anowa. Nightmare that Ato has.
'More savage thank dinosaurs' Eulalie, Act Five
Colonial language. Eulalie is drunk and lost her temper.
'You have not dealt with us well. And you have not dealt with your wife well in this' Esi, Act Five
Confronting Ato for his poor communication skills which have resulted in this mess.
'And so, my grand-child, all you want to tell us is that your wife is a slave?' Nana, Act One
Derogatory. Interesting as shouldn't her ancestors be seen as family, and with pity? Eulalie cannot be free of discrimination, even when returning to her roots in Africa.
'Ato, would you care to ask your mother what she wants in our room?' Eulalie, Act Three
Differences in ideas of community + privacy.
'Who married me, you or your godd*mn people?' Eulalie, Act Five
Establishes how she is sick of Ato acting different in front of his family, and always trying to get her to change for the sake of his family.
'she can cut a drink as well as any man?' Akyere, Act Four
Eulalie's drinking habits are compared to those as a man, as it is seen as unacceptable for a woman to have such habits.
'Some childbearing is profitable' 2nd Woman, Act Two
Extended metaphor for having children being alike a business, an investment. How having Ato, and sending him to obtain a foreign education should have been beneficial to her.
'Black-white woman.//A stranger and a slave' 2nd Woman, Act Two
Gossiping about Ato's marriage, exhibiting how word spreads around.
'But of course, they will say I talk too much...' Nana, Act One
Head of the family. Theme of mouths could be referring to gossip and her quick judgement of Eulalie
'Is not Monka the sauciest girl' 1st Woman, Act Two
Hints at Monka's rebellious and audacious attitude. Unexpected for girls here.
'Human beings deciding when they must have children?' Esi, Act Five
How strange and alien the concept of contraception is to Ghanaian culture.
'I don't know. I only thought it was witch-hunting' Eulalie, Act Two
Ignorance and generalisation. Just how backwards she believes Ghana is.
'And I haven't seen a lion yet!' Eulalie monologue, Act Two
Ignorance and stereotyping.
'For my world/Which you have run to enter/Is most unkind to the barren' 1st Woman, Act Four
Illustrates Ghanaian society and their harsh judgment and treatment to barren women. People question their worth as a woman if one is barren.
'Sweetie Pie, don't drink too much.' Ato, Act Four
Initially doesn't mind her drinking, and even offers to make her a drink. Shows that he wants her to adhere to expectations of a quintessential Ghanaian woman.
'She crumples' Stage Directions, Act Five
Insinuates her broken spirit and extreme sense of loss. Symbolic of a crumbling relationship.
'We must come and ask you and your wife what is preventing you from giving your grandmother a great-grandchild before she leaves us.' Petu, Act Four
Like having children is a duty and a job married couples must do. Like their children is a gift for their grandmother.
'The bird of the Wayside/Never tires of chirping' 2nd Woman
Metaphor for gossiping and how it never stops.
'The oldest and most valuable of the family heirlooms' 'were all pawned' 'They never brought them into daylight...not even to celebrate the puberty or marriage of a single girl in this house.' Monka, Act Three
Monka displays the sexism within Ghanaian families, highlighting their blatant and deliberate favourtism towards males.
'Sugar, the dear God made you just that black and you canna do nothing about it' Monologue - Eulalie's Ma. Act Two.
Motherly love that she no longer has. She's all alone creating a sense of pity.
'And all my people your people...' Ato, Prelude.
Promises Eulalie that she will be accepted into his Ghanaian family. Ironic, as he doesn't tell his family about their decision not to have children resulting in them blaming Eulalie's supposed barreness.
'How much does the American negro know?' Ato, Act Five
Racial slur. Attacking Eulalie for confronting his cowardice.
'Barren!' 1st Woman, Act Four
Repeated FIVE TIMES. Showcases how surprised/empathetic/shocked she is. Underlines how she thinks it's the worst possible thing that can ever happen to a woman.
'Ato, we wish you and your "Morning Sun" a prosperous marriage'. Monka, Act Three
Sarcastic and rude. Shows how the Ghanaian side of the family does not approve of Ato's marriage to Eulalie.
'You knew all this, didn't you, my gallant black knight?' Eulalie, Act Four
Sarcastic jab at his cowardice and inability to admit their decision not to have children to his family.
'No, do not go yet, I still need your tears' Nana, Act One
Seeks sympathy from the 2 women. Over-the-top and hysterical.
'I shall remember you' 1st Woman, Act Four
Sense of unity, and how those ostracized from society must look out for each other. Ironic, as Eulalie isn't even barren - the 2 women have just jumped to conclusions. Demonstrates how unusual and alien it is to Ghanaian culture to make a conscious decision not to have children.
'Oh, Eternal Mother Nature,//Queen Mother of childbirth,//How was it you went past my house//Without a pause//Without a rest?' 1st woman, Act Two
Showcases how tragic barrenness was thought to be.
'he will kick us all around as if we were his footballs' Esi, Act One
Talking about Ato's education in America. How he may view himself as superior to the rest of his Ghanaian family.
'That one of their stock//Has gone away and brought to their sacred precincts//The wayfarer!' Nana, Act One
Talking about going to heaven and updating their ancestors with life. Talks as if Ato marrying Eulalie equates to disrespecting his whole heritage and ancestral lineage. Eulalie is ostracized and made an outcast before the family even meets her.
'The lonely woman who must toil' 1st woman, Act One
Talking about her barrenness, introducing the taboo behind being barren.
'some crawling things!' Eulalie, Act Three
Talking about the snails Esi had gifted them. Shows her lack of understanding of Ghanaian culture, and how insensitive she is about the gift.
'I say my wife is as black as we all are' Ato, Act One
This causes 'sighs of relaxation' to break out by Ato's Ghanaian family. They find comfort in knowing that they share the same skin colour as Ato's wife, and perhaps aren't fearing appearing inferior to her.
'Even when the Unmentionable//Came and carried off the children of the house//In shoals like fish//Nana Kum kept his feet steadfast on the ground' Nana, Act One
Unmentionable = white colonists. Creates a fictitious hierarchy, since Ato's family was able to avoid being captured by the colonists, they are now somewhat superior to the children of the slaves who were brought to America.
